Dear -,
Greetings from The US Chess Sales Weekly Newsletter. This issue continues our tournament coverage, bringing you the U.S. Open Championship Preview. Our featured story explores the rich history of this elite event. Dive in and see what to expect from this legendary chess tournament.
This week, US Chess Sales is celebrating the global community with a massive International Chess Day Sale featuring savings of up to 25% off on select chess sets, boards, pieces, and accessories. Whether you’re upgrading your setup or searching for the perfect equipment to elevate your training, discover exceptional quality and unbeatable value. Shop early to secure the best selection and the finest gear before it sells out. This limited-time event celebrates the game with premium gear and exceptional performance.
15% off purchases under $100. Use coupon GLOBAL15 20% off purchases between $100 and $200. Use coupon GLOBAL20 25% off purchases over $200. Use coupon GLOBAL25
To redeem the sale, shop as usual and enter the appropriate coupon code at checkout; the savings will be applied automatically to your cart.
This week, the first US Chess Sales blog post, “The Best Chess Case to Store Your Pieces Safely,” explores the essential options for keeping your valuable chessmen protected. The post breaks down materials, interior cushioning, secure latches, and structural durability to help you choose the ideal storage solution. Whether you have a luxury heirloom set or a durable tournament kit, our guide ensures your pieces stay scratch- and damage-free.
Our second blog post of the week at US Chess Sales provides "Your Complete Guide to Chess Puzzles." This comprehensive article highlights how regular puzzle training transforms your calculation skills, pattern recognition, and tactical awareness. We cover a range of puzzle types, from mate-in-two exercises to complex endgame studies, and offer concrete tips for integrating them into your daily study routine to achieve measurable rating growth.
Wishing you great games this week,
The US Chess Sales Team
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Feature Story
U.S. Open Championship Preview
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The U.S. Open Championship is one way American chess players can rise to prominence. This open chess tournament provides a chance for young, aspiring, and established chess players to compete at a high level.
Notwithstanding the prize money, ranking highly offers the chance to rise to the highest level. Winners will receive an invite to the U.S. Chess Championship, the highest title in American chess.
Read on to learn more about this chess battlefield and discover all the details of the 2026 event.
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The staging ground for a tournament chess game. Credits: Mitchell Johnson/Unsplash |
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Structure & History
The tournament was established in 1900 under a different name, the Western Open. It was run by the Western Chess Association, which would become the American Chess Federation. This organization merged with the National Chess Federation, and the United States Chess Federation (USCF) was born. The tournament was renamed the U.S. Open.
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Edward Lasker won the tournament 5 times. Credit: Wikimedia Commons |
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The tournament eventually adopted the Swiss system. This is the format for the modern event: players are matched by skill level, and the winner is determined by who earns the most points in each round. The tournament is described as a “TrueOpen,” meaning anyone can enter, and players are not grouped by rating. Prizes are awarded based on rating classes.
Today, approximately 500 chess players compete for a share of a $60,000 prize fund. Last year, Grandmaster Darius Swiercz was the winner and went on to compete in the closed US Championship against 11 other top grandmasters.
2026 Preview
Here’s everything we know so far about this year’s event. The tournament will be held from the 2nd to the 9th of August in Grand Rapids. The setting will be the DeVos Place convention center.
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Edward Lasker won the tournament 5 times. Credit: Wikimedia Commons |
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You can register right up until the start of the tournament, but the entry fee increases: $155 until July 13, $185 until July 27, and $220 thereafter. Grandmasters and Woman Grandmasters can enter for free.
The Pool of Players
As of yet, there is no official list of entrants, and we are still in the early days of registration, but there is usually a broad range of ratings. There will always be a good number of grandmasters. The strongest performer will take the top spot and go on to compete in the US Championship.
Schedules and Side Events
The main event is a 9-round classical chess Swiss tournament. It is played on a four-day, five-day, or full seven-day schedule. In the shorter schedules, players start off with shorter time controls and play more games.
There are also loads of side events. This includes different time controls and rating groupings:
Daily Quad U.S. Open Quad National G/15 Championship U.S. Open National Blitz Championship Weekend Swiss U.S. Open National Scholastic Championship
How to Follow
If you’re not competing but want to follow some high-level chess, USCF will stream the tournament on Twitch with live commentary and analysis. Results and standings will be published on the website. Specific games can be accessed through online databases.
Whether you are hoping to participate or watch the best games, the US Open Championship is an exciting event in American chess. The high stakes and ability for anyone to enter make it an entertaining tournament to follow or attend.
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The Best Chess Case to Store Your Pieces Safely
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I started caring about chess cases the same way I obsess over protecting anything precious. The chess case turns out to have a fascinating history dating back to Victorian England. Here's how to choose the right case for your set. |
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Your Complete Guide to Chess Puzzles
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If you are new to chess, you might not know about the world of chess puzzles. You may even grab a chess book off the shelf of your local bookstore, only to see pages and pages of positions ready to be solved. In a lot of ways, chess puzzles are the cheat code to getting better at chess. If you can look at a position and find the best move consistently, then you will win chess games. Not only that, but learning basic tactics will give you the leg up you need to win against your friends, family, and coworkers. |
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